Friction clutch



July 26,1927. 7, 8

J. A. GUAY FRICTION CLUTCH Filed Oct. 19, 1 925 /m Member c/osep/ z )4. Quay. /0\ 4 VW ///'s rliiforvvey.

Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH ARTHUR GUAY, OF LYNN, HASS QAGHUSETTS.

rnrcnon 'cno'rcn.

Application flied October 18, 1925. Serial ll'o. 88,397.

The present invention relates to friction clutches such as are used-in connection with automobiles, for example, for connecting the driving shaft to thedriven shaft.

The object of m invention is to provide an improved friction clutch including especially an improved clutch nlate structure whereby are obtained advantages inoperation as are hereinafter pointed out, and'ifor lo a consideration of what I believe to be novel and m invention, attention is directed to the fol owing description and the claims -ap-. pended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation,

, artly in section,- of a clutch structure emy n my invention; Fi 2 is a sectional view a clutch plate; %i'g. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a different position: Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the parts which Fig. 5 IS a face view of the clutch plate with a section of one of the parts broken away.

My invention may be embodied in fric- 5 tion clutches of numerous specific types. In the present instance, I have; illustrated it by way of example, in a clutch structure of a type invented y me and which forms the subject matter of my application Serial No.

a 52,407, filed August 25, 1925. Also, I have illustrated it in an automobile clutch, as the invention possesses particular utility for this a plication. 1

Re erring to the drawing. 5 indicates a i crank shaft ofan automoblle engine, 6 the fly wheel carried thereby. and 7 the driven shaft which functions in the drivingof the rear wheels. On the fly wheel is'an annular friction surface 8, and adjacent thereto is i a ring 9 having a cooperating annular friction surface 10. Friction rin "9"is carried by and is driven by a cover p ate 11 which is attached to-a flange 12 on the fly wheel b a ring 'of studs 13. The connection of ring 9 to the cover plate 11 is through the intermediary of a plurality of circumferentially spaced posts" 1: on the rinm which project throngi openlngs in the p ate. In the outer-ends of posts 14 are slots 14 in which are ivoted operating arms 15.- Surrounding t e-openings in the plate are collars 16, the edges of which form fulcrums for the operating arm's. Fastened to thecover plate 11 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced cages 17 in which are located springs 18, the springs at one end engaging to make up the clutch plate, and

ring of studs 26. V

the ends of the spring cages and at the other ends engaging friction ring 9. The springs 18 serve to force friction ring 9 toward the friction surface 8 on the fly wheel. On the driven shaft 7 is a member 19 adapted to be moved by a forked pivoted lever 20 to force the inner ends of arms 15 inward and thus move clutchring 9 away from friction surface 8 to throw the clutch to out posistands between friction surfaces 8 and 10.

The clutch plate comprises two parallel opposed disks 24 and 25 connected together by, a ring of circumferentially s aced studs 26, the arrangement being such t mt the two disks can movetoward and away from each other to a limited extent. in the present instance, the studs are reducedin diameter at one end as is indicated at 27 and such ends extend through openings in disk 24 and are riveted over so that the studs are. hired permanently to disk 24. The other ends of studs 26 extend loosely through openings in disk 25 and have flanges 28 which wage the outer surface'of disk,25.' Arrange between disks 24 and 25 are a number of spring .0 members 29 which serve to force disks 24 and.25 apart, the spring members holding disk 25in engagement with flanges 28. The spring members may be, with advantage. in the form of short curved spring plates.

They are arranged in a ci'rclc at the periphery ofdisks .24 and 25, and just outside the Disk-24 is provided at its edge with'a series of spaced-- inwardlyprojecting fingers. 30 between which 'are notches-31. and disk 25 is provided at its edge with si'milars aced inwardlyprojecting 32 which ie in notches- 31'. the fingers 39 l ,ing in similar notches located-between nger's 32. The 1 notches are of a 'de thequal to. the thickness of the fingers so t at thecompleted clutch plate has a smooth peripheral edge. The lingers 30 project slightly beyond the outer face of disk 25 and the fingers- 32 roject slightly beyond the outer face of disk 24. These projecting linger ends serve to hold in place rings of clutch facing 34 and 35 wh1ch may be made of any suitable clutch facing material. In Fig. 2 a portion of the clutch facing ring is broken away in order to illustrate more clearly the structure. The projectin fingers serve to close the s ace between t e disks 24 and 25 at the perip ery of the clutch plate and to connect the disks 24 and 25 together. However, they do not interfere with the movements of disks 24 and. 25 toward and away from each other. The clutch plate is of a diameter such that fingers 30 and 32 are beyond the outer edges of friction surfaces 8 and 10 so that they do not interfere with the movements of clutch ring 9' toward and away from the fly wheel friction surface 8. v

The springs 18 which force clutch ring 9 to in posltion are substantially stronger than are the spring members 29 so that when the clutch is 1n in position as is shown in Fig. 1, disks 24 and 25 are squeezed to ether, springs 29 being partially or completely flattened out. This is illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. The clutch now functions in the usual manner, shaft 5 driving shaft 7 through friction surfaces 8 and 10 and the clutch plate. So far as the driving action is concerned, disks 24 and serve as a unitary structure by reason of the connections between the fingers and 32. When the clutch is thrown to out position by movmg member 19 inward to force clutch ring 9 away from friction surface 8 so as to release the clutch plate, spring members 29 force the clutch disks 24 and 25 apart so that they occupy the positions shown in Fi 2. Now when the clutch is let in again, it being let in slowl as is well understood, the clutch disks will be squeezed together as springs 29 are compressed, and, due to this, the clutch will not take hold quickly but will take hold very gradually, the yielding of springs 29'permitting the clutch to slip until t ey are completely compressed, that is, compressed as far as the springs 18 will compress them. This means that there is provided an appreciable movement of clutch ring 9 durin which as the clutch ring is compressed, the friction between the enga mg fIlCtlOD surfaces is increased gradualTy from a minimum value to a maximum value. As a result, a clutch embodying my inventlon can beengaged very slowly and evenly and without likelihood of grabbing.

My clutch has the advantage also that. when occas on requires, it can be slipped, that is, partially released, with ease and with a high degree ofgraduation so that the driving shaft may be made to drive the driven shaft over a considerable range of low speeds, that is, speeds lower, than that at whlch the driving shaft is running. 'This is of utility in that it saves the trouble of.

shifting gearswhen it is desired to run slow.

comprises few'parts, all 0 The clutch plate can be manufactured readily at a comparativel low cost since it f whichare similar in structure and capable of bein easily manufactured in quantities. Also t e parts are easily assembled. The disks 24 and 25 ma be formed from sheet material, the dis being first stam ed out with projections extending radia y from their peripheries,'and the projections then bent to form the fingers 30 and 32. In assembling, the spring members 29 may be placed on one of the disks, as is shown in Fig. 4. The other disk may be then placed on top of it and the two disks squeezed together in a press. Studs 26 then may be put in place, being inserted through the openings in disk 25 and then riveted into the openings in disk 24, completing the structure. The structure does not require that the clutch facings 34 and 35 be attached permanently to the disks as they are held by the ends of fingers 30 and 32. This enables the clutch facings to be renewed readily when they become worn.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of m invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent .the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatusshown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s:--

1. A clutch plate comprising two spaced parallel disks, interleaving fingers on the peripheries of the-disks which connect said disks to ether, the ends of said fingers projeeting eyond the surfaces of the clutch facings held b the projecting ends of said fingers, and yie ding means located between said dis 2. A clutch plate comprising two spaced parallel disks, means connecting said together which permits them to have a limited amount of movement toward and away from each other, yieldin means located between said disks, an pro'ecting means. at the ripheries of the dis for holding a clutch facing in place. I 3. A clutch plate comprising two spaced arallel disks movable toward and away rom each other, yielding means which serves to force said dlSkS a art, means formin stops to limit the relatlve'movement of sai disks, and interleaving fingers on the peripheries of said disks which serve to connect said disks together.

4. A clutch plate comprising two spaced parallel members, means connecting said members together which permits them to have a limited amount of movement toward and away from each other, and circumferent-ially-spaced curved spring plates located dlSkS I between said members tending to force the members apart, said spring plates being flattened between the parallel members when the parallel'members are squeezed together whereby the spring plates serve to limit the movement of said members. i

5. A clutch plate comprising two spaced parallel disks having clutch facings on their fiat outer surfaces, means connectin said disks together which permits them to have a limited amount of movement toward and away from each other, said means being located at the periphery of said disks and serving to cover the space between the disks, and spaced curved spring plates located between said disks and serving to separate them, said plates being adapted to be squeezed fiat between the disks when the disks are squeezed together.

6. A clutch plate comprising two spaced parallel disks, interleavin fingers on the peripheries of the disks which connect said disks together and serve to cover the space between the disks, and spaced curved spring plates located between said disks and serving to separate them, said plates being adapted to be squeezed flat between the disks when the disks are squeezed together.

7. A clutch plate comprising two disks of sheet material having integral interleaving fingers at their peripheries which form a driving connection between the disks and serve to cover the space between the disks, clutch facing-s on the outer surfaces of said disks, curved sprin plates located between said disks and tendin to separate the disks, said spring plates eing adapted to be squeezed fiat whenLthe disks are squeezed together, and meafis connecting said disks which serve to limit their movement away 40 from each other.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October, 1925.

JOSEPH ARTHUR GUAY. 

